Building the perfect skincare regimen can be a long task, especially if we do so through trial and error and without the guidance of skincare professionals. When we find products that treat our skin well and work together as part of a daily routine, it can be difficult to change things up. However, if you travel a lot, or even occasionally, or if your skin reacts to the changing of the seasons, you might want to consider switching things up from time to time.

How to Structure a Skincare Regimen

To ensure proper coverage and protection from UV damage, environmental stressors, premature aging, and skin ailments, we recommend that all LUMEN users adhere to a full daily skincare regimen. This typically includes a cleanser (used both in the morning and in the evening), an antioxidant product (used once or twice a day to ward off oxidative stress), a moisturizer (to keep your natural moisture barrier healthy and secure), and a sunscreen (to be used throughout the day, applied in at least 2-hour intervals).

For patients dealing with chronic skin conditions or who want to address certain adverse effects in their skin, a treatment product or two will be included in their regimen as well. These products will vary depending on your skin type, your age, your complexion, and your medical history. We are always happy to help our patients build their customized skincare regimens.

When to Alternate

Even if we don’t expose our skin to drastic changes in temperature, environment, and humidity, the chemistry of our complexions can change over time, requiring new products to combat new and developing concerns. Telltale signs of this are when skin becomes inexplicably dry or oily, if you experience sudden acne breakouts, or if the appearance of your skin becomes dull or uneven in tone. If any of these occur, try purchasing a new cleanser or moisturizer to adjust your regimen. If further help is needed, it may be time to consider a more potent product aimed at brightening, resurfacing, or removing unhealthy bacteria and debris from the surface of the skin.

If you are going on vacation and your destination is vastly different than your typical environment (i.e. traveling from sea level to higher elevations, going from a tropical climate to a harsh desert) it is a good idea to prepare for what you might experience during your visit. For example, higher elevations tend to zap our bodies (including our skin) of moisture. Using a product like HA Advanced Gel can reduce trans epidermal water loss. Also, the sun is much more intense at higher altitude (including during air travel) and you should consider applying sunscreen more regularly, switching to a sunscreen with broad-spectrum mineral coverage (such as UV Protect) and infusing your skin with addition antioxidants with the use of Brightening CEF Serum or Vit C with Ferulic.

Upon arrival from a trip, or after a particularly dry winter, some patients can benefit from the skin smoothing and restorative properties of such area-specific products as Neck Define + GF, Renew & Restore Eye Kit, and Renew & Restore Lip Kit.